Alber Elbaz, during a Lanvin fashion show in Paris, in March 2015. – FRANCOIS GUILLOT / AFP
He had remained at the head of the Lanvin house for fourteen years before being dismissed in 2015. Alber Elbaz is dead, announced the luxury group Richemont
in a press release Sunday, without specifying the causes of this death. The Israeli-American fashion designer was 59 years old.
“It was under the shock and with great sadness that I learned of the sudden death of Alber (…) He was a man of exceptional warmth and very talented, and his vision so singular, his sense of beauty and empathy will leave an indelible mark ”, greeted Johann Rupert, president of the Richemont group.
Recognizable by his round figure, his glasses and his eternal bow tie, Alber Elbaz marked the fashion world with his little cocktail dresses, often black, popular with Hollywood actresses like Natalie Portman.
He had created his label, AZ Factory
Born in Morocco, he began his career with American designer Geoffrey Beene in New York before being hired by Guy Laroche. He then took over from Yves Saint-Laurent for the French couturier’s ready-to-wear line in 1998 before joining Lanvin in 2001.
At the head of this great house for fourteen years, he managed the feat of replacing the oldest French fashion house, founded by Jeanne Lanvin in 1889 in the firmament of the fashion planet, giving it back success and notoriety. So much so that his abrupt departure from the Lanvin house, from which he was ousted seven years ago, had caused a stir.
A few years later, he joined forces with the Swiss luxury group Richemont in order to create his own label AZ Factory.
He “gave priority to women”
“Alber Elbaz the fine, wise and capricious couturier who gave priority to women, has left us after three weeks of fighting the Covid”, wrote on Instagram, the popess of fashion, the American Suzy Menkes.
“Tragic disappearance of Alber Elbaz, great fashion designer and great artist, intensely attached to know-how, wanting innovation of which he understood the full scope and necessity. He had so much talent and also genius. Immense sadness ”, reactedFor his part, the executive president of the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion, Pascal Morand.